Sadly, entire communities are left homeless every year in Niger when heavy rainfall causes rivers to burst their banks.

Fire Fighters carry Shelter Boxes in the Commune 5 district of Niamey. The capital city of Niger has hundreds of families living in schools when their mud brick home was washed away by flooding. Shelter Box has sent 200 boxes, enough aid for 200 families. Photographer Thomas Lay

Last summer, thousands of families in the African country were left homeless, their homes swept away and their crops destroyed.

Local Newtonhill Rotarian Alistair McNair has received a letter from Shelter Box, addressed to the club, saying that the three shelter boxes donated over the last two years have been given to homeless Niger families in desperate need.

The letter came from Tom Kinderman, a response team volunteer, who was on site to oversee the deployment of the boxes.

Each one contains tents and basic necessities allowing the distressed families to regain an element of family life.

Items include the actual tent, water filtration equipment, which allows them to drink water from almost any source, as well as solar lamps and simple everyday items required for cooking and eating.

Within the remit of the Portlethen Club’s International Committee is a policy of replacing the shelter boxes after notification comes in that the ones previously donated by the club have become needed and dispatched to an emergency situation.

The club will now fund-raise to allow purchase of new boxes.

Each complete Shelter Box costs £590 and is paid for through the Club’s charity account.